2025 Mitsubishi Outlander vs 2026 Lexus TX

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander was available in Canada in six trims: ES, SE, LE, SEL, GT, and GT Premium, all featuring Mitsubishi’s Super All-wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system as standard. The front design was distinctive, with a thin upper eyebrow serving as a daytime running light and a large, square headlight below, highlighted by a chrome bezel. Despite subtle changes to the grille and diffuser, the Outlander retained its unique, albeit polarizing, appearance. Inside, the GT Premium trim offered quilted leather seats and soft-touch surfaces, with physical controls for the HVAC system and Yamaha speaker faces inspired by traditional Japanese patterns. However, some plastic elements detracted from the overall luxury feel.

The 2026 Lexus TX was available with various packages depending on the powertrain, including the Luxury, Ultra Luxury, Executive, and F Sport 3 packages for the TX 350, and the F Sport Performance 2 and F Sport 3 packages for the 500h hybrid. The exterior featured a large grille reminiscent of the older “spindle grille” shape, sharp bi-LED headlights, and rear LED lighting spanning the vehicle's width. The interior offered three colour options and ambient lighting, but the material quality fell short of luxury standards. Redesigned door handles were a notable change, though they seemed unnecessary. The TX provided a spacious third row with a recline function and ample headroom, making it comfortable for adults.

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The S-AWC AWD system, developed from Mitsubishi's rally racing success, provided stability on curvy roads. The suspension was retuned for 2025, offering more comfort and less body roll, with modes for Eco, Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow, and Mud. However, the Outlander struggled with acceleration, and the CVT exhibited a droning rubber-band feeling. The plug-in hybrid version offered 248 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, with a fuel rating of 3.6 litres-equivalent per 100 kilometres and 61 kilometres of all-electric range.

The 2026 Lexus TX 350 came with a 275-horsepower 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while the TX 500h hybrid boosted output to 366 hp. The gas model featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the hybrid included a six-speed automatic. The TX 350 had electronically controlled full-time AWD, while the TX 500h used Lexus’s Direct4 AWD system. Drive modes included Normal, Eco, and Sport, with Sport mode enhancing throttle sensitivity. The 500h offered adaptive suspension and rear steering for improved handling.

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander included a third row of seating, though it was cramped with only 475 millimetres of legroom. With the third row in place, cargo space was limited to less than 308 litres, but folding it down expanded storage to 866 litres. The driver's seat featured digital HVAC displays with physical controls, heated and ventilated seats, and a heated steering wheel. However, cup holders were shallow, causing issues with larger bottles during braking.

The 2026 Lexus TX offered three-zone automatic climate control, heated and cooled front seats, and heated second-row seats. The third row was spacious, with a recline function and ample headroom. A one-touch button facilitated entry to the third row, though folding the second row flat was complicated. The front seats were roomy but lacked thigh support. The TX provided excellent cargo space, with 572 litres available with all seats in place, expanding to 2,747 litres with all rear seats folded. All models could tow up to 2,268 kilograms when properly equipped.

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander featured a Yamaha premium sound system with eight speakers, expandable to 12 in upper trims. The system offered customizable sound modes and adjusted volume based on speed and ambient noise. A 12.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was standard, along with a physical volume knob and camera system button. Upper trims included a digital gauge cluster, rear camera mirror, and head-up display. Mitsubishi Connect offered remote services with a five-year trial.

The 2026 Lexus TX had a 14-inch touchscreen, though some features lacked polish, such as the inability to manually input satellite radio stations. Steering wheel buttons controlled adaptive cruise control and volume but were multi-functional and unlabeled. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard but occasionally conflicted with the native audio system. Subscription services included in-dash navigation, a voice assistant, and remote start. The back-up camera offered a bird’s-eye view, and the Advanced Park system assisted with parking. The TX featured seven USB ports and wireless charging, with an available 120-volt outlet in the second row.

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander offered blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, rear emergency braking, and lane departure warning as standard. Higher trims included adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and front parking sensors. The NHTSA rated the 2024 model with five stars in a side crash and four stars in a frontal crash. The IIHS gave the 2025 model a “Good” rating for headlights and a “Poor” rating for front crash prevention.

The 2026 Lexus TX included Safety System+ 3.0 as standard, featuring forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane tracing assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and Proactive Driving Assist. The adaptive cruise control worked well, though it was initially confusing to set up. The NHTSA rated the TX 350 and TX 500h five stars for crash safety, while the IIHS gave it an “Acceptable” rating for the small overlap front crash test on the driver’s side and a “Good” rating for the passenger’s side.